Multicolor-printing machine



P. M. COLQUHOUN YMULTICOLOR PRINTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 5; 1927 Y May l5, 1928.

May 15, 1928. 1,669,866

P. M. COLQUHOUN MULTI COLOR PRINTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 5, 1927 'r sheets-sheet 2 F'z err' 2 ISO May 15, 3.928. 1,669,866 l P `M COLQUHOUN MULTICOLOR PRINTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 5, 1927 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 (B1/munito@ mi WW@ mf May 15, 1928. 1,669,866

P. M. coLQUHoUN MULTI COLOR PRINTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 5, 1927 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 95 :zo v @o 37 82 @da ff/2a ff@ May 15, 1928.

P. M. COLQUHOUN MULTICOLOR PRINTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 5, 1927 7 sheets-Sheet 6 FIG-I 9 JM l M @tto/anew.

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P. M. COLQUHOUN MULTICOLOR PRINTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 5, 1927 7 sheets-sheet 7 i IG. I2

F'l efr' i4 F.scrf v gwwhroi Patented May 15, 1928.

UNITED STATES I 1,669,666 PATENT OFFICE.

PETER M. COLQU'HOUN, OF LAKEWOOD. OHIO, .ASSIGNOR TO THE` AMERICAN MU'LTI- GRAPH COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A. CORPORATION F OHIO.

MULTICOLOR-PRINTING MACHINE.

Application led February 5, 1927. Serial No. 166,089.

This invention relates to printing mechanism adapted to make succes 4ive imprints on the same sheet of paper. These imprints are mutually positioned, or properly i registered, and may be made by inks of different character. The invention is more particularly concerned with mechanism of the type of multigraph,wherein there is a rotary form-carrying drum and a roller l0 platen coacting to print on sheets fed between them. The present invention cmploys a supplemental printin)` device correlated with and driven by t e multigraph and arranged to print on the same sheet.

For example, the supplemental printer may printa letter head on a circular letter, the body of which is printed on a multigraph; or, as another example, for the supplemental device may fill in display mattei' interspersed with the body printing on the multigraph.

I prefer to embody my invention with an addressing multigraph having a signature printer, the whole being so arranged that for each revolution ot the drum, there is printed a letter head, an individual address,

, a circular letter and a signature on the same sheet of paper. The machine may at the same time print an envelope bearing an address corresponding to the letter.

My .invention is hereinafter more fully eX- plained in connection with the embodiment shown in the drawings, and the essential novel characteristics are summarized in the claims,

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a vertical section through the machine Jfrom front to back, the plane being indicated by the lines 1 1 in Fig. 4; Fig. 2 is an end elevation looking from the right hand end of the ma- Chine, the paper feed and the envelope printer being omitted; Fig. 3 is a detail illustrating the platen latch of ths paper detector; Fig. 4 is a vertical section along the axis of the drum and platen on the off-set plane indicated by the lines 4 4 in Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section in a plane indicated by the line.; 0 5 in Fig. 4, and looking in the opposite direction to Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary approximately- 5e horizontal section through the drum and envelope platen, the planes of the section being indicated bythe lines 6 6 in Fig. 1; Fig. 'Z'. isv a horizontal section on planes through the signature printer and till-in device, as indicated by the lines 7 7 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a substantially horizontal section through the inking rollers of the till-in device, as indicated by the lines 8 8 in Fig. 1; Fig. 9 is a substantially vertical section through the distributor roller of the inking train, in the plane indicated by the lines 9 9 in Figs. 1 and 8; Fig. 10 is a detail in sectional elevation of the gearing for driving .the cam and distributor roll of the fill-in device; Fig. 11 is a view of the kductor roller and its support on an inclined plane indicated by the lines 11 11 in Fig. 1; Fig. 12 is a detail in edge elevation ot the cam operated lever for controlling the clutch of the envelope printer; Fig. 13 is a perspective of one member of the envelope rinter clutch; Fig. 14 is an elevation of t e groove cam for shifting the distributor roll; Fig. 15 is a detail of an adjusting device between the fill-in roll and its driving gear; Fig. 16 is a detail of the disconnect-able idler between the drum and signature drive or the idler between the signature drive and fill-in device, (these two idlers being identical) the `plane of the section being indicated by the two lines 16-16 in Fig. 5; Fig. 17 is a fragmentary sectional plan in the plane indicated by thc line 17-17 on Fig. 1, and showing the spring mechanism connected with the cam levers of the two supplemental printers.

As shown in the drawings, the primary printing mechanism is of the type of the multigraph, 4and will be first described. This comprises a rotary drum 10 mounted on a shaft 11, journalled in end frame plates 12 and 13 above a roller platen 14 mounted on a shaft 15. Gearing 16 and 17 and an Oldham coupling 18 connect the drum and platen. Any suitable means, as for. example, a crank 19 is provided for rotating the drum and platen.

Means are mounted on the drum for printing the body of a form letter, such means comprising a blanket 20 (shown conventionally in Fig. 1) stretched about a segment 21 on the drum. The segment is shown as a semi-cylinder resting on the end members 28 and 29 of the drum and held in place by a spring hook 24 engaging the shaft 11. An inking ribbon 25 is shown as mounted on spools 27 carried between the end members of the drum, such ribbon extending intermediately about the type form.-

It will be seen that in the construction described, when the drum is rotated, as by means of the crank, paper fed between the drum and platen may be printed b the type characters through the ribbon. he paper may be fed by hand 'or in some automatic manner, as desired. Fig. 1 illustrates an automatic feed which may be employed and comprises briey an upright holder 30, 31 for a block of paper 32, a bottom support 33 and a roller 35 adapted to feed the front sheet of paper into the printing machine. This roller is given periodic rotations automatically by the operation of the multigraph by means not shown.

In Fig. 1, the address plate, designated A. is mounted adjacent to the body form as hereinafter more fully explained. When a sheet of paper coming from the automatic feed passes between the drum and platen, the address and the body are printed on such sheet and then while the sheet is passing through the signature printer and fill-in or letter head printer hereinafter described. the same address plate coacts with an envelope platen 80 at the rear of the drum to print the envelope.

The address plate may be placed on the drum and retained thereon and removed therefrom once during each revolution by any suitable means. I prefer, however, to employ the means shown and claimed in application No. 100,224, filed April 7th, 1926,

y John A. Hult and assigned to my assignee The American Multigraph Company. Briefly such features as relate to the address plate are as follows:

The automatic feed and several other mechanisms are shown in Fig. 1 for the purpose of completeness and to illustrate an embodiment yproducing on each rotation, a printed. addressed and signatured sheet and a correspondingly addressed envelope. The operator may grasp the crank with one hand and turn the drumwhile with his other hand he positions the envelope and thereafter receives the used address plate, and efects the insertion of a fresh plate.

The body of the drum adjacent one edge of the segment 21 is shown as provided with a longitudinal channel 50 for the reception of the address plate A. This plate may be gf the form shown in Fig. 1 having an arcuate intermediate region and depressed edge portions a under-curled on themselves for strength, and may carry its printing characters in any suitable manner. The channel 50 of the drum provides a support 52 for the intermediate portion of the plate and two side recesses for the edge anges, these recesses being beneath overhanging strips 54 on the drum which retain the address plate thereon when it is shoved endwise into place.

When the address'plate is pushed into its channel its forward end abuts a slide 55 pressed by a spring 56 toward the end of the machine, and forces it inwardly, compressing the spring until a suitable latch 60 carried by the drum engages the trailing end of the plate and holds it in place. An iuward. pressure on the latch withdraws it from the engagement with the plate and allows the spring to partially or wholly eject the latter. This inward pressure may be ef fected manually by the operators thumb or automatically as desired.

It will be understood that the drum is given periodical rotations with momentary' rests at the end of each rotation, either manually or by power and that during such period of rest, the operator disposes of the used address plate and inserts a fresh plate.

An envelope printer is shown in Fig. 1 and will now be briey described. Its platen, designated 80, is av rotary member adjacent the dr m, at the rear thereof on an axis parallel therewith and having such arcuate extent as will coact with the address portion only of the address plate. This platent 80 is normally idle but is arranged to rotate at the proper time in cooperation with the address plate and at the same peripheral speed. The platen 80 is loose on a shaft 81, and driven by a gear 82 meshing with the gear 16 on the drum, and this platen is connectable for rotation with the gear 82 by a single rotation clutch designated 84 as a whole.

The clutch is best shown in Fig. 6. That figure shows the gear 82 journalled on a stud 120 mounted in a frame bracket 121 secured to or forming a part of the end plate 13. One member of the clutch consists of a disk' 90 rigid with this gear 82 and shown as pinned to a hub on the gear; a third member comprises an intermediate disk 92 (Fig. 13) having radial ribs 93 occupying corresponding grooves in the disk 91 (after the manner of an Oldham coupling), and the final member comprises a locking pin 95 adapted to lock the members 90 and 92 together. This locking pin is slidably mounted in the member 90 and may engage a notch 96 in thc member 92. It is normally held withdrawn by a lever 100 positioned by a spring 101 but. operated at the proper time by a. cam 105 on the drum engaging a roller 102 on thelcver.

As the address plate on the drum is coming into position adjacent the platen 80 and the cam 105 engages the roller 102.and op erates the trip lever 100 to free the pin. Thereupon the spring 103 seats the pin in the notch 96, engaging the clutch. The platen 80 now makes one complete rotation at the same peripheral speed as the drum, so that the address may be printed on an envelope or other paper between the drum and platen 80. This same printing action operates to feed the envelope upwardly and discharge it in printed form. At the end of the rotation the head 97 on the pin en` gages the beveled end 104 (Fig. 12) of the lever and withdraws itself. thus opening the clutch. In order to stop the envelope platen immediately upon the withdrawal of the clutch pin 95 so that, the platen will be in proper position for subsequent engagement a friction brake constantly acting with a light pressure against the platen is provided, as shown at 109 in Fig. 6.

Figs. 1 and 6 show at 110 a suitable envelope supporting member adapted to enable its ready positioning between the drum and.

-tacle, for instance, as indicated by the broken lines 115 on Fig. 1.

As heretofore mentioned, the paper may be fed manually or automatically, in either case the fed sheet preferably comes into the grip of feed rolls 120 and 121, Fig. 1, which are geared with the platen as indicated in Fig. 5. These rolls carry the paper along between the segment 21 and platen 14, after which it is further advanced b v the ejecting rolls 130- Fig. 1, coacting with stripper springs 131. This ejecting roller is shown as being connected by suitable gearing, Fig. with the drum gear 16. The sheet is thus passed through tlie"-sig'1iati1ie printer and the fill-in or letter head printer now to be described.

At the rear of the frame of the multigraph is a horizontal plate 150 rigidly secured to the multigraphframe. This plate carries adjacent the multigraph, a signature printing mechanism substantially as shown in Patent No. 1,117,751 issued November 17, 1914, to The American Multigraph Comw pany, as assignee of William R. Allen, and beyond that a second supplemental printer to print the letter head or to till in and which will be described after I have described the signature printer.

Referring now to the signature printing portion of my machine, it will be seen that there is mounted on the plate 150, near its ends, upright end plates 158 and 159, which carry the various parts of the signature printer. Journalled in these end plates is the shaft 160, and loosely surroundingr this shaft is an eccentric sleeve 162, and journailed on this slee-ve is the roller 163 carrying an arcuate plate 164. which is formed to print the signature. The roller 163 is rotated by shaft 160 irrespective of the position of the eccentric sleeve within the roller by a shiftable coupling shown at 165 in Fig. 7. This shiftablecoupling connection enables the roller to shift in any direction while it is being rotated with the shaft, such shifting being effected by turning the eccentric and operating to carry the signature roller alternately out of contact with an inking roller and into Contact with the platen 166. This inking roller is shown at 170. lt coacts with a felt supply roller 171, which carries ink for the signature plate. These two rollers 170 and 171 may be mounted in a suitable yokelike frame 172.

Mounted on the shaft 160 is a pinion 190, Fig. 7 which meshes with a gear 191 journalled ou a stud 197 mounted in the frame plate 159. On the side of this gear is a peculiar internal and external cam 194 (Fig. 7) like the cani 242 of the till-in printer shown in Fig. 10. The internal face 192 of this cani is preferably concentric for abouta quarter of the circuni'l'erence and then flares outwardly until it merges with the outside surface. Un the opposite side of the axis is the convex outer face 193 which is also concentric.

Pivoted to the frame by a stud 200 is-a le ver 201 carrying` a roller 202 adapted to coact with the cani. The lower end of this lever is connected with a plunger 203 which extends into a socket in the base plate 150 (Fig. 17) and has a head 204 bearing against a spring 205 in the base of the socket. Surrounding` the shank of the rod 203 'in front of the head is a spring 206, compressed between the head and a bushing 207 screwed into the base frame. Accordingly, the two springs tend to center the lever but allow it to swing in either direction. The upper end of the lever is connected by a link 210 with the plate 211, which is rigidly connected to the end of the eccentric sleeve 162.l

)Vith the construction described, when the shaft 160 is rotated, the cam 194 is correspondingly rotated in the right hand direction (Fig. 1), and the roller 202 travels in the internal cam groove and then outwardly and around the out-er face, and when it passes ott of the outer face` the compressed spring` 205 forces it inwardly into coaction with the internal cam.

'Now, when the roller 202 is on the. inside cam 192, the eccentric holds the signature roller elevated so that the signature plate thereon may contact with the inking `ioller 170 to obtain ink. Thereafter, as the roller 202 passes out of the inside cam, the rocking of the eccentric caused thereby depresses the signature roller into coaction with the platen roller. Then the roller 202 comes onto the external surface of the cam and this, being concentric, holds the signature roller down in printing cooperation with the platen until after the signature is printed. During the remainder of the rotation of the signature roller, the roller 202 passes inwardly into the internal groove, ready for a repetition of the operation.

The mechanism for filling-in, or for printing a letter head or other mattei' ou the sheet. is mounted on the frame plate 150. behind the signature printer and is adapted to coact with parts already described, to print on the sheet, either while the sheet is in the signature printer or after it has left the same. This supplelnental printer, which is somewhat similar to the signature printer, will now he described.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 7, a pair of upright frame plates 220 and 221 carry a shaft 222 surrounded by an eccentric sleeve 223. A roller 224 is journalled on the eccentric sleeve and carries on it two segments 227 which have about their surfaces longitudinal rails with overhanging heads 225, thus providing undercut channels in which grooved type 226 may be mounted. The segments are bolted to the roller 224 with bolts 228 permitting removal of the segments'from the roller to facilitate the insertion of type. This form-roller is continuously rotated and is adapted to be periodically moved up and down to coact with an inking roller above the form and a platen 230 below the form. This movement is effected by the turning of the eccentric, the turning being caused by cam mechanism similar to that heretofore described. That is to say, a gear 240 on the shaft meshes with the gear 241 which carries the internal/and external cam 242, and the eccentric has an arm 245 connected by a link 246 with an arm 247 which carries the cam roller 248. 249 similar to that heretofore described acts in the cam lever. The cam gear 1s so set with reference t9 the multigraph gear that the eccentric is moved to bring down the form in proper position with reference to the matter printed by the multigraph drum.

Attention is called particularly to the longitudinal rails 225 on the llin roller as shown in Fig. 1. It will be seen from this view that'this set of rails extends completely about the periphery of this roller, and accordingly even though the roller is comparatively small with reference to the multigraph drum, the extent of the periphery of the type formed on the roller is Sufficient to register with all or a large portion of the body of a circular letter printed by the multigraph. Accordingly, it is a very simple matter to omit certain words on the multigraph form and Supply those words in corresponding locations `on the fill-inl roller. Then if the inking device, hereinafter explained. supplies, for instance, red ink to the fill-in roller, words will be printed in red ink in the body of the circular letter in A double spring arrangement.

proper registration of the form printed by the multigraph. This enables a very distinctive product to be made.

The same railcd roller is well adapted for carrying type for printing the letter head. Large type ovcrhanging several rails may be employed if desired. or an eleclrotype may be clamped on to the rails by suitable clamps. It will bc understood that the "nplemental printer may also be used for pinning foot notesl or cuts or otherwise supplementing the printing of the multigraph drmu.

'lhe body of the letter und address are preferably printed through a ribbon producing an effect similar to that of a typewriter. The signature printer preferably receives a peculiar signature ink from the felt roller, whereas the supplemental printer being described is directly inked by ink from a fountan suitably transferred and distributed to prorlluce an effect similar to standard press wor r.

To ink the till-in or letter head form in a manner enabling it to produce high-grade printing, I provide thc inking mechanism shown in Figs. 1 and 8 to 11 inclusive. As there shown, this inking mechanism comprises two coacting fountain rollers 300 and 301, a ductor roll 302, a distributor roll 304 and a form roll 305. The ductor roll moves back and forth between the second fountain roll and the distributor roll: the distributor roll moves longitudinally in engagement with the form roll. and the form roll is adapted to engage the type form on the supplemental drum. The form roll and the distributor roll and the fountain adjacent roll are positively driven by gearing to be described. The outerfountain roll rotates by friction with the inner fountain roll, while the ductor roll rotates in either direction and partakes of the movement of the roller it engages.

The ductor roll 302 is shown as carried by a pair of arms 310 journalled on a rock shaft 311. A spring rod 299 joins the arms 310 intermediate the roll 302 and the shaft 311. A rock arm 298 is pinned to the shaft 311 and journalled on the rod 299 intermediate the arms 310. On this 'rock shaft is a rock arm 312 extending freely above the fountain roll 301 and carrying a roller 313 engaging a multi-lobed cam 314 coaxial with the inner fountain roll. The effect of this cam is to lift the ductor roll into engagement with the fountain roll four times during each rotation of the fountain roll. Following such engagement, the ductor roll drops by gravity into engagement with the distributor roll. This gravity action follows from the inclined support of the ductor roll, shown in Fig. 1. The arm 298 and rod 399 serve to provide accurate alignment between the ductor roll and distributor roll and between the ductor roll and fountain roll.

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The distributor roll 304 is moved longitudinally by a grooved cam`320, loose on the shaft of this roll, but having an arcuate rib 321 engaging a grooved collar on the roller; a pin 325 mounted in a transverse frame member 326 engages this groove, and thus causes the collar, and with it the roller, to travel back and forth as the collar rotates. This collar is on a gear 327 which meshes with the cam gear 241 on the shaft 222 which is driven by the gear 345 in the train of gearing to be described shortly.

The train of gearing which enables the described movement of the different parts, is best shown in F ig. 5. Ihave heretofore referred to the gears 16 and 17 on the multigraph drum and platen respectively. Power may be applied to the drum directly by a crank oi-to the platen gear, as for instance, by a motor geared to it. In any case, power is taken ofil the drum 16 by an idler 340, which meshes with a gear 341 on the shaft 160 of the signature printer. This shaft has the pinion 19() meshing with the cam gear 191. With the gear 341 meshes a pinion 342 which meshes with a pinion 343, which latter meshes with an idler 344. This idler meshes with the gear 345 on the shaft 222 of the lill-in mechanism. The gear| 345 also meshes with an idler 346 which-meshes with a gear 347 on the distributor roller. This roller carries a bevel pinion 350 meshing with a bevel pinion 351 on a shaft carrying a worm 352, which meshes with a worin wheel 353 on the inner fountain roll.

Various other gears are provided to my sh with different members of the train described. Thus the pinion 360 on theform roll of the fill-in inker is shown as meshing with the pinion 347. fThe pinion 362 on the signature platen meshes with the gear 341. The pinion 361 on the fill-in platen 230 meshes with the gear 345. The pinion 364 of the form roller meshes with an idler gear 363 and the latter meshes with the pinion 342 of the train described. The gear 82 of the envelope platen meshes with the drum gear 16. With the drum gear also meshes a pinion 367 carrying a sprocket on which isa chain 368 driving the ejector roll 130. The lower feed roller 121 carries a gear 372 meshing with an idler 373, which meshes with the platen gear 17.

It will be seen that the whole construction is geared together for operation as a unit. However, it is important that the signature printer and the letter head printer be so arranged that they may come into action independently and at various positions of the drum to cause the signature and the letter head to be properly positioned on the sheet, or the lill-in matter to be properly registered with the body of the letter printed by the drum. To effect this adjustment, I make the two gears, 340 and 344, of the train of .gearing described, shiftable out of contact wit-h the gears with which they mesh.

This enables each supplemental printer to be set in any desired position with reference to the multlgraph drum. That is to say, if the gear 340 is ydisconnected from the gear 341, the signature printer may be set in any position desired. This will incidentally shift the letter head printer, and then by disconnectin head rum to the desired position.

To enable the easy disconnectin of the idlers 340 and 344, 1 make these id ers longitudinally shiftable, as illustrated in Fig. 16, the construction being identical for the two idlers. As `there shown, the idler 340 or 344, is journalled on a pin 380 which is slideable in a frame plate, a. compression spring 382 maintaining the gear in position. A pressure on the outside end 385 on the shaft forces it inward against the action of the spring sufficiently to disengage the idler.

The disengagement of the idlers 340 and 344 allow the setting of the signature drum and the till-in drum in any desired position within the range of one tooth of the gear. Such ran e is sutiiciently accurate for positioning te signature printer, but not for the supplemental drum when used as a lillin device where the mattei' must register accurately with the printed body form. Accordingly, to provide a liner adjustment, I connect the coupling for the fill-in roller not directly to the shaft, as in the case of the signature rollerl but to a collar 390 (Figs. 7 and 15), loo e on that shaft. This collar carries lugs 3 1 which overlap lugs 392 on the driving `ar 345. Set screws 396 passing through the lugs on one of these members into engagement with the lugs on the other, allows an individual adjustment axially of the roller, with reference to its gearin It will be seen from the description given that the paper, fed either a sheet at a time or from the upright supply of sheets shown, passes under the control of the rollers 120 and 121 between the main drum and platen, where the body of the letter is printed on such sheet as ittravels toward the rear,'be tween the drum and platen.` This sheet is ejected by the roll 130 and thus passes between the signature roller and its platen, which for the-most of the time, are out of Contact with each other. in this movement by engagement of the rollers 370 and 371 on the signature printer shaft with the signature platen and l-thus is carried along toward the rear, where it cornes into engagement with the rollers 394 and 395 on the shaft of the fill-in roller. These latter rollers coact with the fill-in platen 230. The rollers 370, 371 and 394, 395 being on the respective shafts 160 and the idler 344, I may reset the latter The sheet is fed,

222, are not affected by the operation of the eccentric sleeves, and operate to feed the paper in a continuous course, irrespective of how the signature roller and the fill-in roller are acting or whether they are active at all.

In the description heretofore iven, it has been assumed that the cam rollers of the signature printer and the till-in printer, were in engagement with their respective cams, but means are provided for either drum whereby the roller may be withheld at will from its cam, thereby rendering that portion of the machine idle, so far as printing is concerned. Accordingly, they signature may be omitted, or the till-in or letter head, or both, without interfering with the progress of the sheet.

'lo enable the disconnection mentioned, the cam rollers are preferably mounted in manually shiftable bushings 400 and 401, Fig. 7. llhese bushings are slideable in housings on the respective cam levers and Yare retained in either extreme position by springs 403, which engage either of two notches in the bushings. Fig. 7 shows the bushing 400 in position for the roller to engage the cam (though the roller is shown out of engagement, due to another factor hereinafter explained), while the bushing 401 is in a position where the roller cannot engage the cam. In each ease, a spring 405 surrounds the shank of the roller within the bushing and tends to press the roller into engagement with the cam. In the case of the bushing 401 however, the bushing is shown as pulled out far enough so that, even though the roller be pushed inwardly by the spring to its extreme inward position, the engagement of a nut 408 on the shank of the roller prevents the roller reaching the cam. In the case of the bushing 400 as shown, the roller would reach the cam, for the nut has not yet engaged the bushing, were it not for a throw-ofil mechanism connected with roller shank, about to be explained, which turns down the main platen whenever the paper is absent, and simultaneously pulls out either or both of the cam rollers, which may be active position.

The platen release mechanism shown in Figs. 2, 8 and 7, is substantially that illustrated in application No. 92,152 to Clifton Chisholmand Peter M. Colquhoun, assigned to my assignee The American' Multigraph Company. As there described, there is mounted on the shaft of the main platen 14 a notched collar 410, with which coacts a lever 411 on a rock shaft 412 `carrying iinger 415, which is adapted to coact with the upper feed roller 120. Adjustably formed to the end of the platen, is a disc like member 420 which is connected by a link 421 with an arm 422 carrying a roller 423, adapted to be acted on by a cam 424 on the main shaft 11. This caln through the lever and link operates to turn the platen slightly to relieve the pressure on the shoulder of the collar 410 against the rock arm 411.

The relief of the pressure on the latch happens once each rotation of the drum, at a time when paper should be present. If such paper is present, it is engaged by the curved lingers 415 and holds them and the arm 411 in normal position, and thus when theI cam 424 clears the roller 423 the arm 411 will retain the platen in its active position. lf however, at the time such test is made, the paper is absent, the counterweighted cnd 416 of the fingers will rock the shaft 412 and raise the lever 411 out of engagement with the platen collar 410 and thereupon a spring 428 will turn the released platen down to idle position, where it will remain until the next stroke of the cam 424, acting on the roller 423, restores the platen.

'l`o enable the two subsequent printers to be controlled by this same platen releasing and resetting mechanism, the system of links and levers', as shown in Figs. 3 and 7 are provided. 'lhat is to say, the roller 248 for the lill-in printer is connected by a link 430 with a bell-crank 431. 'lhe latter is connected by a link 432 with a bell-crank 433 which is connected by a link 434 to the arm 422. "lhe roller 202 is connected by a link 435 to the hell-crank 433. Each of these connections have loose play in one direction. 'lhus the rod 430 is formed with a hook 440 at its end to loop around a pin on the bell-crank 431. The rod 435 has a hook 441 to loop around a pin o n the bell-crank 433, and the rod 434 has a loop 442 at its end to loop around a pin on the arm 422.

The construction described, is active it will be seen, when the main platen has been turned down to inactive position, under the influence of the spring 28, and allowed by the raised catch lever 411. In such case the arm 422 pulls on the link 434 which pulls outwardly both rods 430 and 435 and withdraws cither or both cam rollers, that may be in engaging position. Thus the multigraph and the two supplemental printers are all simultaneously rendered idle, though their drums continue to rotate, whenever a sheet of paper fails to be fed to the multigraph.

It will be seen from the description given, and from the drawings, that I have provided a machine adapted lo produce at one rotation. not only a complete addressed circular letter, with a body and address printed through a ribbon, but at the same time a signature printed by one character of ink and a letter head in another character; or, if desired, the second supplemental printer may he used to illfin display matter in the llU body of the form printed by the multigraph.

Thus, for instance, certain words or expres` sions for which space is provided in the body form, may be filled in in red ink by the second printer, giving a product of striking appearance. All the printers are operated in unison by the single driven crank or a power device, as desired, and they are all under the control of the same paper test mechanism to prevent smud ing of the respective platens` it the paper eed fails for any sheet. The two supplemental printers are so arranged so as not to interter with the envelope printer, should it be desired to employ one directly at the rear ot the multigraph, above the signature printer, as illustrated in Fig. l of the drawings.

I claim:

l. The combination with a main printing couple, Aof a supplemental printing couple, a gearing connecting the main couple with the supplemental couple, including a disronnectable gear, enabling the setting of' the supplemental couple within an` approximation of one gear tooth. and means for giving said couple also a tiner adjustment, less than that ofl one gear tooth, relative to the form on the main couple.

2. The combination of a printing couple, and a supplemental printing couple, including a roller and platen, said roller being provided on its surface with longitudinal rails with overhanging edge flanges at their tops, and a separable train of gearing connecting the main couple with the railed roller, said train of gearing driving a member on the same shaft as the railed roller, and an adjustable connection between said member and roller to give a line adjustment Within the range of the rough adjustment given by the separation of the train. i

3. In combination with a rotary printing couple, of a signature printing couple, and a fill-in printing couple, the latter two cou* ples being arranged one behind the other, and both behind the main couple and geared therewith, and means whereby the printing member ot the first supplemental couple is normally distant from its platen to allow the paper to Apass idly between them into the grip of the second supplemental couple,

4. The combination with a rotary printing machine, of two supplemental couples behind the same, a train of gearing connecting the rotary machine with the supplemental couples, and two idlers in such train,

one between the main couple in the first supplemental couple, and the other between the two supplemental couples, each shiftable out ot mesh with its companion.

5. The combination ot a rotary printing drum, a roller platen beneath it, an envelope platen behind the drum and adapted to coact with it, a signature printing couple behind the drum and main platen, and beneath the envelope platen, and a fill-in or letter-head printer, behind the' signature printer, the paper being adapted to take a substantially straight course through the first couple, the signature printer, and fillin or letter-head printer. l

(i. The combination of' a printing couple having a paper testing device and a platen release and restorer, two suppleniental couples, each having a controlling cam and a cam roller, and mechanism for holding said rollers idle when the main platen is released, said mechanism comprising a pair ot connected bell-cranks adjacent the respective, supplemental couples. a link 'from each bell crank to the corresponding roller, and a link from one of' the bell-cranks to the platen release of' the main couple.

7. The combination, with a main printing couple, of a supplemental couple adapted to receive the product ol the first touple, said .supplemental couple having a roller provided with parallel longitudinal line-holders, and having an inliing system comprising a fountain roll, ductor roll, a distributor roll and a. form roll, and a train of gearing connecting the main printing couple with the form roll, the distributor roll and the fountain roll of Said supplemental printing couple, and means for interrupting said train to enable positioning of the supplemental printing roller with reference to the printing member oi the main couple.

8. The combination with a printing machine having a rotary drum, an underrunning roller platen and a frame with a base portion and upright end plates, of a horizontal plate secured to the frame of the machine and projecting rearwardly therefrom, an envelope platen carried by said frame behind the drum, a signature printing couple mounted on said plate behind the drum and main platen and beneath the envelope platen, a fill-in or letter-head printer mounted on said plate behind the signature printer, the paper being adapted to pass successively through said printing machine, then the signature printer, and then the fill-in or letterhead printer, and a common throw-oli' device simultaneously acting on all of the couples associated with means for automatically testing the paper before it reaches the first couple of said printing machine.

l9. The combination, with a rotary drum adapted to carry a page form for not over half the circumference of the drum, of a Supplemental rotary member of a diameter about one-fourth that of the drum, and provided with a series ot parallel longitudinal line holders, located about substantially the entire circumference ot' the member, whereby individual lilies of printing members maybe mounted on the supplemental holders in various positions thereon, and means for guide ing a sheet of paper successively to the drum and rotary member.

10. The combination of a rotary printing drum adapted to carry a form for printing the body ot a letter, and a fill-in device comprising a roller having a series of longitudinal parallel printing line holders located about it for substantially its entire circumference, the diameter ot the roller being so related to that ot' the drum that the entire circumference ot' the roller is approximately the same as the body ot the letter on the drum, disregarding the address and signature, gearing connecting the drum and roller, and means for guiding a sheet ol paper in coaction with the drum and roller successively.

11. The combination of a rotary printing couple, two supplemental printing couples, adapted to act on the product ot' the tirst couple, each of said supplemental couplel ha ing a throw-ofi' device of its own. and a throw-ofi' device operating automatically for the first mentioned couple, controlled by means for testing the paper before it reaches the rst couple, and a linkage connecting said main throw-oil' with the other two to cause the three to operate simultaneously.

12. The combination of a rotary printing drum adapted to carry a blanket for printing the body of a letter, and a till-in device comprising a roller having a series of longitudinal parallel overhanging rails located about it for substantially its entire circumference, the diameter of the roller equipped with projecting type mounted between the rails being so related to the arcuate length of the blanket that the entire circumference ot the roller is approximately the same as the body of the letter on the blanket, gearing connecting the drum and roller, and means for guiding a sheet of paper into coaetion with the drum and roller successively.

ln testimony whereof, I hereunto atiix my signature.

PETER M. COLQUHOUN. 

